


Nonna Don’t Leave Me

by Little_Red_Riding_Hoodie



Series: Protecting our Universe [3]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Breaking and Entering, Bucky-Bear, Dog Tags, Family Drama, Freeform - Becca Barnes, Hurt and comfort, Long Lost/Secret Relatives, Mentions of Violence, References to racism, Storytelling, Tony's first circuit-board, mentions of super soldier serum, revealing secrets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-09
Updated: 2020-11-09
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:35:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,929
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27475123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Little_Red_Riding_Hoodie/pseuds/Little_Red_Riding_Hoodie
Summary: Becca's coming to see her kid and no one can stop her, good thing she get's JARVIS on her side.The family learn secrets about SHIELD's past and the Carbonell Family while Tony is forced to see Aunt Peggy in new light and come to terms with the fact that he and Peter might be more alone than they seem.Good thing Becca has a old story to tell from a new perspective that might ease his concerns.
Relationships: Clint Barton & Natasha Romanov, James "Rhodey" Rhodes & Tony Stark, Pre-Ben Parker/May Parker/Happy Hogan, Rebecca Barnes Proctor and Tony Stark, Tony Stark and Peter Parker, pre-Pepper Potts/Natasha Romanov
Series: Protecting our Universe [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1790920
Comments: 7
Kudos: 66





	Nonna Don’t Leave Me

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoy this new addition to the series. If any of it is offensive or badly done when racism is mentioned please inform me and I will rewrite it as I don't want to offend anyone but I think I did pretty good in terms of it. Also if you find any errors grammar or punctuation wise give me a shout but otherwise enjoy.

Becca fidgeted in the taxi taking her to Stark Tower. She had left her suitcase in the hotel room she was staying at, only bringing her handbag with the essentials and items to prove her identity to her grandson. She didn’t bother with make-up to make it easier for him to recognise her.

She hugged his Bucky-Bear tightly as she tried to push the anxiety down that was building up inside her. _What if he never wanted to see her? What if he hated her for not trying hard enough to get in contact sooner? Does he blame her?_ The thoughts had been circling her mind since she left her estate in Italy.

The thoughts remained even as the taxi driver pulled in front of the skyscraper. But she would not turn back and damn anyone that tried to stop her from finally seeing her kid again. She loved the boy, that was now a man, more than anything, despite not sharing blood.

Maria and Howard be damned, that was her kid. She loved him since she first met him, shy and twitchy because of how they treated him, with not a single toy in sight. She bought him his first toy (bought him his last toy too probably) and it was her and her Eddy that practically raised him after he went to boarding school, signing him out at the weekend as well as during the week so he wasn’t trapped in that godforsaken school overnight. He stayed over most of his holidays because Howard and Maria couldn’t be trusted to spend some time with him without Tony gaining a new bruise out of it. ~~Not like Tony ever told them, even when they knew. Tony was too scared of what might happen if he did. Even when they asked if they did anything to him point blank. Damn adorable little fool tried to keep them safe, not like it helped them at all. Eddy had already put a target on their backs just by being alive - well a target on his back. She just didn’t think that they’d kill him though. Thought he’d heal like always, but she supposed having your brain line the walls would kill anything~~.

He had a home with them.

And they took that from him when they took Eddy.

There was not a doubt in her mind that SHIELD did it, so desperate for that serum of theirs that they didn’t care who they had to go through to get it. Howard and that bitch Carter most likely orchestrated it too, considering their history. Carter wasn’t a nice woman, she was a murderer on the World Governments payroll and Becca wouldn’t change her mind on it, not after what Eddy told her. At least when she worked for the Mafia families of New York, they had the decency to admit to you what they were and what they had done – though never in the exact words.

Pulling out of her thoughts, she paid the taxi driver and hurried inside, mindful of the heightened security and made her way to the front desk and draw on all the courage she could muster. “Hello, welcome to Stark Tower. How can I help you?”

“Hello, I was wondering if you could contact Anthony Stark for me and ask him why the bloody hell he thinks I’m dead?” Becca smiles as politely as she can with her unease and impatience. “Furthermore, you can go ahead and ask him why in god’s name he took drugs despite everything we told him.” The receptionist looked her over calculatingly, obviously not believing Becca had any connection to the man in question.

“May I have a name and your relation to Dr Stark?” Their eyes were judging and looking for any hint of a lie or desire to hurt their boss. If Becca was not the one being questioned, she’d thank them for caring for her kid.

“Rebecca Barnes Carbonell. I’m a relative and apparently dead.” Becca repeated those facts again to the woman at the desk, trying to convey she was telling the truth. “Look I’ll go through all the screenings ness-” The front desk worker cut her off.

“I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”

-

Tony had just finished putting in the new reactor. Rhodey, Pepper and himself had finished the miniature particle accelerator, a revolutionary design only out beat by the miniature arc reactor itself, that morning.

Honestly, vibranium was amazing, he hadn’t felt this good in months. Despite the weirdly appealing taste of coconut and metal as the new reactor settled into place, there was no complications. The reactor would naturally flush his system of toxins faster then his body did before. So, now he was completely immune to alcohol, a bonus that would help his recovery long term.

Everyone had gathered for the momentous occasion and celebrations were had all round, but now things were settling down. Peter had just fallen asleep on his chest again, lulled to sleep by the softer purr of the new reactor and Tony quietly singing a Romanian lullaby; May was looking up courses and contacting med-schools to ask for advice on what she had to do on that front; Pepper had gone back to being a C.E.O. of a massive tech conglomerate who was followed by Happy and Ben both off with security and Rhodey, Clint and Natasha were finishing paper work for their respective bosses. Tony sat with Rhodey, Clint, Natasha and May on the sofas working on security updates and designs for some enhanced baby gear while trying not to wake Peter.

It was relaxing, being surrounded by people that were not expecting anything from him, were not wanting anything but his companionship. Even Clint, who had a massive freak-out when he was told about the potential HYDRA threat and about what really happened with Peter. He didn’t feel so bad in that moment, didn’t feel like he was as rotten as he was. “J, have those deliveries for Petey come yet?”

“They have, sir. And I have taken the liberty to have someone place them in the service elevator for you to collect. The packages should be up shortly.”

“Thanks, JARVIS.”

“You’re welcome, sir. Additionally, the contractors you contacted to build the new home, if you can call it that, have all read and emailed their signed N.D.A.’s and have been informed of the parameters of the build.”

“That’s rude and I love it!” Tony replied with a smirk. JARVIS’s code had started developing more on his own and was becoming more like a true A.I. it seemed. He just never noticed how complex he had managed to make him. The year had been chaos and he only made JARVIS a few months before being taken, so he was still young back then. Tony did good building him and it showed when the A.I. made comments that expressed his opinions about things without saying it up front.

“I do try to please; it is in my programming.” JARVIS said jokingly.

-

“I’m sorry?” Becca asked.

“It has on file that Dr Stark has a restraining order against you, so please leave before I have to get security to escort you out.” The woman’s voice turned much colder towards Becca. Becca just signed. She expected that reaction at first considering the circumstances.

“Yes, and as I said, he thinks I’m dead, when I am obviously very much alive.” Becca said quickly trying to appease the woman still glaring at her. “I know about the restraining order against me and I know it’s signed, but after the press conference I don’t believe he knew what he was signing at the time or Stane forged it.” Becca explained. “I have more than enough evidence that he knew me. And I will happily-” Once again Becca was cut off.

“Any other time I may have believed you, but considering recent events, I’m going to have to ask you to leave. Dr Stark doesn’t need anything else on his plate right now and I, nor will anyone else, add to that, so leave.” The woman, Margret her badge read, glared even harder at Becca.

While Margret was glaring at Becca, a security guard came over. “Is everything alright over here?”

“No Pam, this woman wants to see Dr Stark and has a restraining order prohibiting her from doing so.” If it was possible the guard’s glare was worse than the receptionist’s – probably came with the extra practise.

The guard, Pam, took a hold of her lower arm and started pulling Becca away to the front doors. “I’m sorry ma’m, but I’m going to have to escort you off the premises.”

“I was trying to explain that I don’t think he knows. Look, if you just look at some of the photos I brought, you might change your mind.” Becca started rummaging through her bag looking for the photos, even as the guard half dragged her out of the building, while talking into a walkie talkie. After she found them, she turned to the guard, holding them out with pleading eyes. “Please, just look at them.”

“Look lady, I know you probably think you had a connection with Dr Stark when he was sleeping around a lot, but no photo will convince me to let you anywhere near him right now. I’ve already informed the rest of security to watch out for you.” And that was that. The guard walked away, leaving Becca standing outside the shiny building, clutching various photos of Tony, Eddy and her, while shaking off the feeling of disgust at the guard’s assumption. She couldn’t even fault them. They were just doing their jobs and doing them well. _Damn Antonio. You have some loyal employee’s, only some but still, they deserve a pay rise._

“Well, that worked about as well as expected, but was worth the try. Time for Plan 2.”

Becca took out the baseball cap and hoodie, putting them on. Then she took out a larger foldable bag from her handbag before stuffing her handbag itself and the Bucky-Bear inside, before making her way to the back of the building where the deliveries came in. She watched, trying to find what she was looking for. When she did find it, she internally cheered with joy.

The boxes.

If she just followed those boxes of baby supplies, they would lead her to her grandchild and very likely her great-grandchild as well.

Carefully, she followed them as they were signed off and moved. The cap and hoodie made her look less noticeable this side of the building and she ended up looking like an employee late for work, more so when she snagged a badge and high-vis vest, avoiding the camera’s as much as she could without it being noticeable. She watched as the workers filled an elevator with the boxes. Once they were done and moving away, she rushed forward, catching the elevator just before it closed and was left stumped. Other than the emergency button, there were no buttons. “What in the-”

“I am informing the head of security of your actions. Please refrain from damaging the Young sir’s supplies while you are detained in the elevator, security will be with you shortly.” A male British voice, that sounded distinctly like Edwin Jarvis, chimed out with a cold tone.

“Edwin is that you? We went to your funeral, have you been alive all this time?” Becca was stunned. If it was Edwin why was he doing this? He took care of Tony when he was with the Stark’s, only stayed to keep him safe there as much as possible; he informed them of what Howard and Maria had been doing to Tony before they met; suggested to the Stark’s that Tony go to boarding school in Italy close to them so that he didn’t have to stay in the dorms but was still away from them.

The voice, however, turned into one of intrigue. “Are you referring to Edwin Jarvis?”

“Yes. Are you not him? You sound just like him?” Becca continued.

“I am JARVIS, which stands for Just A Rather Very Intelligent System. I am an Artificial Intelligence Dr Stark created.” JARVIS said still wary of the stranger in the elevator.

“He named you after him? That’s sweet.” Becca said sadly. It pained her to think that Tony lost everyone that cared about him so young – because, even if she didn’t die, she was still lost to him.

“May I ask you why you were trying to sneak into the tower?”

Well, honesty hadn’t helped her so far, but she wasn’t going to lie. At least now her Tony would be informed. “I’m here to see my grandson and great-grandson.” She took off the cap and looked towards a camera. “My name is Rebecca Barnes Carbonell and my Tony thinks I’m dead. Look, I went to the front desk first but they turned me away because of a restraining order his parents had put on me and that Stane kept going after he got custody, probably forged his signature when he was older to keep my ‘influence’ away from him. I have photos to prove I knew him if you want to see.” Again, Becca got a photo out but this time, held it up for the camera to see before she could get an answer. It was one with his first circuit board, Eddy showed him how to build it the first time he stayed with them to get him to stop flinching away from him, and in the photo Tony was sat in her lap showing her how it worked, explaining all the parts of it, smiling tentatively up at her, happy she was listening but looking like he expected her to just get up and leave him. “See, so please don’t make me go away. They need me, or at least need to know I’m still there for them.” Becca said, tears gathered in her eyes.

JARVIS scanned the photo. It did appear to have the woman in it with a little 3-year-old Tony Stark. JARVIS then quickly scanned the woman’s face and matched it with one Rebecca Paula Barnes Carbonell, 2nd wife of the late Edoardo Leonardo Carbonell, Anthony Edward’s Starks blood grandfather. His creator did appear to believe that she was dead by the press conference despite there being no death certificate to her name. But he must double check with his creator. He may have meant his blood grandmother, his grandfather’s 1st wife as Howard Stark’s parents had died long before his creator was even born.

_

“Um, sir?” JARVIS’s voice rang out in the room, catching Tony’s attention.

“Yeah, J?” Tony replied half listening, engrossed in designing.

“During the press conference, who were you referring to as your Nonna?” JARVIS asked.

“Um, my grandmother, J.”

“Yes, I am aware of the translation sir, however I was wondering on who you were referring too. Your blood grandmother or your step-grandmother?” JARVIS once again asked.

 _Oh._ Tony understood where JARVIS was coming from now. “Step-grandmother. Bella told me not to call her Nonna. Why are you asking?”

JARVIS was happy to know this. The woman was nice. She was telling him stories at current trying to convince the A.I. that she did, in fact know his creator, and JARVIS asked questions about the events in return. The way she told them made JARVIS assume that she looked back at these stories with fondness if not with a little sadness. “Well during the conference, you said your ‘Nonna’ was dead, and I wanted to make sure who you where referring too. Can you tell me how you think she died?”

“Nonna and Nonno were killed in a burglary.” Tony told the A.I. after a moment. It hurt. They were the brightest parts of his childhood, Edwin Jarvis being the second despite his mixed feelings about the man. He didn’t want to have a conversation about them in front of the people in the room. He may have felt comfortable around them but not enough for that – they weren’t there yet. “Not here, JARVIS, I’ll tell you about her later. Is the supplies on the way up yet?”

“They are in the elevator waiting to be brought up, but sir we need to talk regarding this issue.”

“Later and what are you waiting for, send them up, J.” Tony moved then and asked May to take Peter while he sorted it out, waving off the offered help from the others and quickly made his way towards the service elevator, just to notice that it was still on the ground floor. “What’s the matter JARVIS? I said to bring it up.”

JARVIS had made a decision about how he was going to approach the situation regarding Mrs Carbonell; if it taught his creator to let him finish what he was saying all the better for it. “Well, if you had let me finish explaining, there is an intruder in the elevator sir. One you have filed a restraining order against. Would you like me to pull up the Security camera footage so you can make sure they leave with security?”

For Tony the response came quick, just as JARVIS expected. “Yeah, pull them up, J.” Maybe it could be considered cruel for making his creator worry over what appeared to be his grandmother who he thought was dead, but JARVIS hadn’t developed his emotional intelligence as much yet, so how was he to know what was cruel and what was a surprise?

As for Tony, he was just trying not to panic. He waited for the feed to come up and when it did his heart nearly stopped before going into overdrive. It was like the universe had something against him making it to 50. There on the screen was his Nonna, surrounded by boxes, holding the Bucky-Bear she got him and trying to convince JARVIS that she was who she said she was.

**_*Becca was staring up at the camera. “Please, I’ll go if he wants me too but at least let me give him his Bucky-Bear. He loved it so much growing up.” Becca laughed wetly, “Said he was gonna find Bucky and marry him when I told him how his Nonno thought he was still alive somewhere, living in hiding. Said he was gonna give Bucky his dog-tags back and say ‘Welcome Home, Soldier’. He didn’t know Bucky was his Step-great-uncle then and blushed up a storm when he found out I was his sister. I told him it was okay since he wasn’t related by blood to Bucky, even if it would be weird for me. I did tell him that if he did find Bucky to send him my way first though, so that I could yell at him for thinking following Stevie was a good move and to threaten him against hurting my kid. Becca looked down at the bear before flipping it over and unzipping a small pocket in the back of the bear Tony had watched her stitch herself over 20 years ago, before pulling out the dog-tags of Bucky Barnes that were kept inside. “He loved to wear these when he was little. Pretended he was one of the Howling Commandos fighting alongside Bucky and Stevie while Eddy was the HYDRA soldier, never got to tell him the story of how Eddy infiltrated HYDRA and actually met Bucky.” Tears wet her face, in thick streams. “I get that he might hate me, might have put that restraining order on me himself despite what he said at the conference, but please.”*_ **

Tony was nearly in tears only barely holding them in. God, he was going to get hives with the emotional roller coaster that was his life.

“Sir, the woman matches that of -”

“I know who she is J. Call off security and send her up.” Tony watched and listened to JARVIS inform her that Tony knew she was there and that she was on her way up to the penthouse.

**_*Becca beamed at the news before seeing her reflection in the mirror of the elevator. “Oh god, I look awful. Damn being an ugly crier. Stall for me, JARVIS, it’s the first time he’s seeing me in over 10 years, and I look like I’ve been hit by a truck.” Frantically, Becca scrubbed at her face as the elevator started to ascend. “Least I’m not wearing make-up then I’d be a right mess.”*_ **

Tony laughed. “Don’t tell her I’m watching her but speed up the elevator and make it faster if she asks.” And JARVIS did just that and Tony then proceeded to watch as she cursed worse than a sailor before asking if Tony was watching, then cursed some more when it sped up again. She never stopped fixing herself but tried to do it with, what appeared to be an attempt at, dignity while taking little glances at the camera.

Tony was scared he was dreaming. He hoped this wasn’t a joke, wasn’t some cruel game the universe was playing on him before it took her away again. After everything that has happened, he could not handle her dangled in front of him and not being real.

He fidgeted and attempted to fixed himself, with no attempt at dignity. He had been a mess for years, the past week has been 9 circles of shit, so forgive him for freaking out at welcoming home his grandmother back from the dead. _Like a normal person._

So he waited, heart pounding. The doors opened. And there she was.

Slowly the two made their way towards each other. Both too afraid to touch in case it would actually wake them, they were at arm’s length when Becca offered the dogs-tags and Bucky-Bear out for Tony to take. Gingerly he took the toy and tags and let the sensations from the two items ground him as he analysed the items that he thought he would never see again.

Becca’s fidgeting increased as Tony’s gaze shifted between the items in his hands and the woman in front of him. “I saw you’re press conference.” Becca said shyly. “I’ve seen all your press conferences actually. I kept updated with everything you did…They changed your school after your Nonno died. Howard and Maria, didn’t hurt you too bad did they? Edwin always kept you as safe as he could when you were with them but then he died and that left you on your own there. And then Eddy was killed and they kept you away from me. When you grew up and my letters still didn’t reach you, I started to think you never wanted to see me again.” Becca paused in her rambling when her spewed up words were met with silence and tried a different approach. “You stopped hiding your intelligence so much after your parents died, got a doctorate before you were eighteen, even with everything.” Becca rung her hand’s together barely stopping herself from reaching out. When she still got no response, she looked at the ground. “I meant what I said to your A.I., JARVIS. I’ll leave if you-”

“ ** _NO!_** ” Tony all but cried out in Romanian, startling Becca and before she knew it she had her baby in her arms once more sobbing as he grasped onto her. “ ** _NO!_** Nonna, ** _don’t leave! Don’t leave me. Please._** ” Tony sobbed uncontrollably burying his face as far into her neck as possible. He squeezed her tightly with an unmovable grip. Becca just shushed him and let her own tears fall from her eyes. She held Tony, petted him, shushed him and told him everything was gonna be okay as she pressed little kisses to his head.

“ ** _I’m sorry, I wasn’t there for you, baby. I’m sorry, we left you all alone._** ” Becca whispered back. “ ** _I’m sorry I wasn’t there to save your Nonno, I’m sorry your parents forced me away and I’m sorry Shit-Stane got custody. I fought hard but your parents had put a restraining order on me before they died and that won in the courts. I’m ashamed at myself for believing Stane when he told me you hated me, but everyone can be deceived._** ”

They were in a world of their own. Tony begging her not to leave him again, telling her it wasn’t her fault, that he was sorry for not finding out sooner and that he would never want her to go away. Becca telling him she wouldn’t leave him, never again as long as she could, while still apologising for not being able to do more, before and after his parents deaths, and that she was sorry it took so long to just barge in instead.

They never saw the others come in.

Despite, Natasha being the only one to fully understand what they were saying, the group from the living room looked sadly at the two people crying before leaving them to have some privacy, knowing they would be introduced later.

Eventually the two pulled apart but never let go of the other, ~~never letting go, not again.~~ Once they had wiped their faces, Tony led her to the sofas where the others sat, and played with the tags in his hands, grinning like a loon. Rhodey was the first to introduce himself.

“So, Tony? Is everyone that breaks into the Tower family now or is this week the exception?” he said jokingly. “Hi, I’m James Rhodes, this nutter’s best friend and pseudo-brother.”

Becca gave a small laugh as she shook his hand. “Yeah the family is a bit batty. Becca Carbonell, pleasure to meet you.”

Rhodey, of course, then brings the back of her hand up to his month and presses a little kiss to it. “No, believe me when I say the pleasure is all mine.” Adding in a little wink. Making Tony gawk at his friend.

Becca just laughed at the response of the two. “Antonio, looks like even in my eighties, I still got it.” Which makes Rhodey freeze.

“You’re in your eighties?!” Rhodey’s eyes widened as he felt the skin on the back of her hand, trying to tell through touch what his eyes were failing to see.

Tony slapped Rhodey’s hands away cuddling his Nonna closer to him and away from Rhodey while glaring at him. “Yes, Rhodey. She’s in her eighties. Now kindly stop hitting on my Grandmother.”

“How was I supposed to know! She barely looks out of her thirties, or in her thirties for that matter, how is that even possible, did she skinny dip in the fountain of youth or something?! Time travel?!” Rhodey frantically asked before doubling back an apologising. “Mrs Carbonell, I am so sorry for hitting on you. You just look great for your age and I couldn’t tell.” Rhodey floundered. “Not that age is an issue but it’s just the face and age don’t add up.”

Becca could not help the laugh that escapes her. “Don’t worry about it. I get that all the time, I normally wear make-up to look older, but I wanted Tony to recognise me right away as he knows about my, erm lets call it… little predicament, so I didn’t bother.” She patted Rhodey’s arm and smirked. “Besides, I know I can still give you a go for your money, especially if it comes to some good old-fashioned skinny dipping.” She winked, making Rhodey blush and laughed at Tony’s groaned. “What I was joking! Can’t I joke with my kid’s best friend?” She said, fluttering her eyes with a fake innocence.

“Nonna, stop flirting with Rhodey as a joke, I do that and it’ll make it weird. Plus he might actually go for you.” Tony eyed Rhodey warily before stage whispering. “He’s always had a thing for the older ladies.” Smugly smiling as Rhodey’s blush grew.

“Now, I know where you get it from.” Rhodey moaned at the grandmother-grandson duo. “It runs in the family.”

Tony and Becca giggled as Rhodey slumped back where he sat.

Tony told JARVIS to tell the others to get there from wherever they were in the tower. May came over, introduced herself and handed Peter back to Tony so he could introduce him to his great-grand mother. May watched as an unnaturally young looking eighty-year-old stroked her great-grandchild’s cheek gazing down at him.

“ ** _Oh little one. You’re a_** _Piccola Fenice_ ** _too, it seems._** ” Becca switched flawlessly between the languages with natural ease. She looked down at her baby’s baby with sadness in her eyes. “Your Bisnonno would’ve loved to have met you and kicked the teeth in of the one that hurt you so early in life.” Becca stroked the backs of her knuckles under Peter’s eyes softly while Peter pushed into her fingers, rubbing against them with a small sleepy smile gazing up at her. After a moment, Becca looked up at Tony and sighed deeply. “We can never do things the easy way, can we?”

“Seems like it.” Tony’s smiled a little sad. “Would you like to hold him? Just a warning, he is um, a little light.” Tony offered easily. Becca just opened her arms, making little motions for Tony to hurry up. When Peter was in her arms, he just nuzzled into her and went back to sleep without a fuss. Becca all but cued at him.

“Oh, so I, as someone who you consider a brother, have to write notes, twice might I add, before I got to hold Pete, but Hot-Nonna doesn’t have too?” Rhodey retorts, poking fun at Tony. “I see you’re showing favouritism now.”

Tony’s response was just to stick out his tongue. “You’re just jelly that she’s my Nonna so you can’t have her.” Before he added with a whine, “Add stop calling her Hot.”

Becca just snorted as they bickered. May chose that time to speak to her before the others came in. “You do look unnaturally young for your age. Why is that?” May asked.

Becca defected the question. “You’re the Doctor that helped Peter, right? Tell me what that Dick did to him?” The response had Tony turn his full attention back to her.

“Nonna!” He said appalled.

“What? Dick is short for Richard. What did you think I said?” She quirked her lips up in a little smirk, getting a red-faced Tony in response. “Though I suppose both are true.” Earning a laugh from May.

“I’m a nurse but yeah I worked on Peter. And you never answered my question?”

Becca blushed and retorted, “You never answered mine.” Wasn’t her best comeback but she was a little distracted with the angel in her arms, give her a brake.

“As for Peter, Richard experimented on him, you heard that much from the conference, right?” When Becca nodded May continued. “Well, he wasn’t trying a new poison out, he was trying to make a new form of super-soldier. From what I understand: the spider that bit Peter was treated with a similar serum to that of the one Dr Erskine made; then it was put through a radioactive treatment to infuse the spiders new D.N.A. with its venom before the spider was made to bite Pete.”

Becca growled low. “SHIELD did this?” Everyone in the room’s eyes widened, apart from Natasha’s whose eyes narrowed on Becca calculatingly.

“How did you know Richard Parker worked for SHIELD?” Natasha asked.

Becca rolled her eyes as if the answer were obvious. “The Serum, of course. SHIELD’s killed for it before, I don’t see why they wouldn’t again. I don’t know why they came after Peter though, with Howard’s connection with them. Even dead, the man can never leave us alone, but still, he was good for something.”

“Nonna, what do you know of the serum, and what do you mean SHIELD’s killed for it?” Tony asked.

“Yeah I skimmed the database for everything I could get, even a little I shouldn’t as well, and the only thing I got was that the serum was made by Erskine and Howard continued the project when Erskine died and the’s work was stolen by HYDRA. The last SHIELD had on it was that it was a failure and no more attempts at recreating Erskine’s work would be Green lit. Even Clint joined in later and nothing.” Natasha added and Clint nodded his agreement.

“Yeah, slates clean for the serum. No hits were put on anyone at least from level 7 intel. If we hacked any higher without Tony’s help, we’d have been caught for sure.”

Becca held Peter a little closer and tighter to her chest with one hand as the other shot out for Tony. “You’re with SHIELD.” She looked ready to bolt with Tony and Peter.

Clint glared. Just hearing about the organization he worked for was putting this person, who appeared to have done nothing wrong, on edge and it made him angry that he never noticed that some people shuddered at the name SHIELD already. The organization had only been public knowledge for a few months how long was this going on for those that just happened to be on the wrong side of SHIELD’s agenda and what legislation do they follow? God why hadn’t he thought of that before? Even without the potential HYDRA threat that was looking to be more likely as they looked at the files, SHIELD itself, despite being a good idea, was a threat. “Yeah, but don’t know for how long though.” The response came out cold.

“I have a history of backstabbing people that pay me.” Natasha said easily smiling at Becca as she took out her phone. “Oh would you look at that, my pay from SHIELD just came in.” She winked at Becca easily.

Tony just laughed and said “What about your pay from Stark industries?”

“Never got to keep any, SHIELD took it all, so you’re good.” Natasha said, smiling as warmly as she was able at Tony. “Never saw a lick of it actually. Put on file a SHIELD account for undercover work but the money gets taken out and used elsewhere. We could follow the money to see where their using it Might find something.”

Becca relaxed at the agent’s obvious distrust of SHIELD. Tony was a little peeved Natasha never got paid her dues, but he supposed he could make it up to her in other ways.

“Oh lovely, another intruder.” Happy said strolling in with Ben and Pepper. “Is everyone that breaks in family now or what?”

“That’s what I said but apparently we’re in modern Downton Abbey ‘cause this right here is Tony’s step-grandmother that was shunned from the family cause she’s too hot and his family couldn’t take that she was better looking than the rest of them.” Rhodey told the ex-boxer.

“Oh, interesting plot-line. Hi Harold Hogan, but everyone calls me Happy.” Slumping down next to May.

“And you never answered my question on how you look so young?” May added as Tony whined out, “Stop calling Nonna hot.”

“Hi, I’m Virginia Potts, I go by Pepper though. I kept Tony in-line for the past few years for you. Have the job back.” She smiled teasingly.

“Hey! I’m not that bad.” Tony retorted. “I hand my work in on time or early, I can even make omelettes now and I don’t poke or fiddle with everything when I go to R and D anymore. Just like a third.”

“Yes, so much better, but you still fiddle with the really dangerous things. I mean your fiddling right now with … are those dog-tags?” Pepper noticed. “Who’s dog-tags are those? I didn’t know anyone you knew was in the forces other than Rhodey.”

“Don’t ask those kinds of questions, Pepper, its rude. I’m Ben.” Ben said as he pushed Pepper towards Natasha and made his way towards Happy and May.

“It’s not rude there’s two so the person didn’t die.” Pepper said from her seat next to Natasha.

“They were Tony’s first love. And technically they were M.I.A., it was supposed they were K.I.A. but my husband thought otherwise.” Becca said. Pepper blushed and gave a sorry as Ben gave her a pointed look.

“Nonna stop telling people that.” Tony said. Becca snorted and mouthed never.

“Wait are those Bucky Barnes’ tags?” Rhodey said smirking when Tony’s blush grew across his face and he muttered curses to 19-year-old Tony choosing truth one time too many times.

“Yeah they’re Bucky’s tags, what was it you said I think it was “I’m gonna marry him Nonna and we’re gonna be sooooo happy together and we’ll have a big cake at the wedding and you and everyone will be there and I’ll rope Nonno into helping me build him a flying car as a gift.” I think it was something like that.”

“Yeah then you made it weird by telling me it he was your brother. Did you know I had a mild existential crisis even when you told me it was okay because Bucky wasn’t related to me by blood?”

“You’re Becca Barnes?!” Rhodey yelled then, “Wait you had a crush on your great uncle? That’s a bit incestuous” Rhodey enquired.

“Step-great uncle, that I didn’t know was my step-great uncle at the time. And I was a kid Rhodey. Tell me you never crushed on someone as a kid that was a celebrity or a hero or something. Mine just happened to be Captain America’s best buddy okay?”

Becca laughed. “Yes I’m Becca Barnes, but its Carbonell now. And yes I knew, its why I talked to you in the first place so you knew that it was okay and that it was fine to like whoever you liked and Bucky too for that matter.”

“You’re family’s weird Tones.” Rhodey said after awhile.

“Well you’re in it so what does that say about you?” Tony replied easily. “And we’re off track. Serum, Nonna? Stop deflecting, what don’t you want to tell us?” He stared into his grandmother’s eyes expectingly.

“And age? How do you look so young?” May said again. “Feel like no-one’s listening to me.”

Becca was hit with expectant eyes from the room’s occupants. She exhaled a deep breath as she gave Peter back to Tony. And picked up the Bucky-bear and placed it on her lap as she dug through her bag and got the photos she had in there out. “Do you trust these people, Antonio? I can tell you on your own if not, the only other person that knew as much as me were Edwin Jarvis and he’s gone now. Eduardo made sure no one knew after the mess that came when his father helped Erskine.” She looked him in the eye. “You were supposed to find out at eighteen but our circumstances … never allowed it. Tony, I need an answer.”

Tony thought about what she said. There was a lot more here than a simple single kill and the story was most likely connected to what happened to Peter. He needed people like Natasha and Clint on his side, but did that mean he trusted them? And Ben and May were new even if they where sticking around. That was the thing though they where sticking around. “They’re not going anywhere, Nonna.” He hoped that was enough for her.

Becca nodded and began.

“Back in the forties, your Nonno and his parents were fighting in the resistance against Hitler and HYDRA. They were working with the S.S.R. to extract Erskine from HYDRA. When they did Erskine was in bad shape and needed help or he would die. So they gave him the family herb.” Becca showed a photo of Tony watering a blue herb in the shape of a heart. Tony remembered the fairytale behind the herb that could keep loved ones by your side for longer. He always thought it was for a beauty treatment and that was why his grandparents looked so young despite their real age and that the story was just that, a story, but if it could stop someone from dying … then it could be used to make the serum. He looked at his Nonna wide eyed scared. “And when Erskine came too, they explained what they did. Erskine realised he needed the herb to finish his super soldier serum and tried to convince your Bisnonno to give him the herb, saying it could win the war overnight. Antonio Carbonell from what your Nonno told me said – “

“Those who seek power, don’t deserve it. Those who think they need more to succeed, don’t know they already have enough of it.” Tony said the words his grandfather seared into his mind.

Becca nodded smiling sadly, “Yes exactly that. Well Erskine didn’t like the answer he got and sent word to the S.S.R. about what our family had and their unwillingness to comply. When they came to pick Erskine up, Agent Carter killed them all. Shot your Bisnonno and Bisnonna in the head and your Nonno in the heart. They took the herb and their vibranium statue alongside it.” Becca sighed deeply, she felt that was all she was capable of today, sighing. “If she shot him in the head too you would not be here today.”

“Because of the herb?” May asked.

“No. Eddy didn’t need the herb, only his mother and I did. And his mother didn’t really get to seek any of the benefits from it. Not really anyway.” She looked at the photo of Eddy with Tony. “Eddy wasn’t human and neither is Tony or Peter. It skipped Maria somehow, but they don’t age properly. Eddy said he was a Phoenix. He could come back from having his head cut off but damage his brain too much and he couldn’t come back. Scrubbing his brains of the walls really brought that point home.” Chuckling wetly. “Your Bisnonno was in his 400’s apparently and he looked in his twenties because he was forced to become a phoenix too young. I don’t know the specifics, but it has something to do with survival. Same goes for you without that goatee right? It’s why you grow it, to look older, same as your grandfather.” She petted his cheek. “I think you look maybe 18 without it at a push. If you were not who you are, you’d get I.D.’d constantly.”

Becca turned to May. “You can tell their different because of the rings of gold around their pupils and iris in their eyes. It’s a small difference not many would be able to notice. None, at least in the last four hundred years, developed into a phoenix naturally, but Eddy said it was possible.”

“So SHIELD before it was even SHIELD got lucky killing essentially unkillable people for the serum. And then later Howard Stark and Agent Carter killed your husband for the herb again, but how did he get it back after the S.S.R. took it?” Clint asked.

“It wasn’t HYDRA that stole Erskine’s research it was Eddy, that’s where he heard that HYDRA still had some of Erskine’s research from before he switched sides and decided he’d just go in and get that too. He infiltrated HYDRA and was the major informant on the inside. He kept his identity a secret after that though, never trusted anyone again from the S.S.R. or SHIELD after it was formed.” Becca said.

“How did you meet Tony’s grandfather then?” Pepper asked.

“Bucky.” Becca simply said. “He was experimented on by Zola and Eddy helped where he could, but he couldn’t stop what Zola did without blowing his cover. He gave him the herb along with his tears and he suspected it fused with his D.N.A. rapidly instead of over time like with repeated use of the herb. Bucky would gain the abilities of a super soldier too. It was the thing that made us wait so long before we got together. He blamed himself for what happened to Bucky. He came after to tell the family that he thought Bucky made it and explained that he thought he was in hiding but my mother she … well she was heartbroken after, three of her four children dying before her broke something in her and didn’t want to believe him. She ended up taking ill after that. Eddy, tried to help but she didn’t want the herb and we wouldn’t force it on her.” Becca rested his hand on Tony’s knee. “Are you okay, Antonio?”

“Uh huh, fine and dandy over here, as much as a not human can be. How am I not human?” Peter made a noise of protest as he heard his father’s heart rate pick up and Tony forced himself to calm down. “The burglary, it was just for the herb wasn’t it? To make more serum.”

“Yup. The place was trashed but it was the only thing stolen.” Becca said.

Natasha eyes narrowed again, “SHIELD never made the formula, but Howard did. Howard with Richards help. Your parents were transporting the serum when their car crashed. The serum was stolen. It was an assassination.” Natasha said, connecting the dots and dotting the i’s. “Carter knew what had been stolen and covered it up, whether because she ordered the hit or to cover her own ass. She knew Howard and Richard were making headway in the project, Richard took this herb from there, after Carter retired and made the project his own when he left SHIELD. Richard still has the herb.”

Silence filled the room. Tony wasn’t sure he could handle any more bad news today, Howard hadn’t killed Maria. Howard had killed Nonno though, which was worse, so much worse, whether he did it by his own hands or not. And Aunt Peg – _No, Agent Carter –_ killed for that serum twice over and for the vibranium that made Captain America’s shield. Yeah they truly are the Symbols of America.

Did he mention that the week had been 9 circles of shit? Because if not, he would like to state it has been 9 circles of shit with an obnoxious, rotten, cherry on top.

Becca watched as Tony went in on himself, curling around Peter as he did so, she hugged him to her side and told him it would be okay. She looked at the others in the room, they’re eyes flashed in anger.

“If I didn’t think HYDRA was still around before, I do now. Somethings up with that. You don’t just let a serum like that get stolen with only a footnote recognition.” Clint sighed and plopped himself back. “Fuck, this is a mess. So, assuming that HYDRA killed Howard and Maria Stark, they have possible super soldiers ready for deployment, on top of the ones Richard and Osborn are trying to make that potentially could be stronger and more compact.” He rubbed a hand down is face. “Add on the possible to almost certain infiltration of SHIELD personnel and you’ve got yourself a right shit show.”

Natasha pinched him. “Genius baby idiot, get your language sorted out.”

“OW! Okay, okay! All I’m saying is we need more people on this. A lot more. And we need to make sure we can trust them. Not Fury, he’d go behind us to do his own thing, but others in SHIELD that are designated to this than just me and Nat, cause it’s bad.” Clint moved towards Tony. “You gonna be okay, man?” Clint wasn’t on great terms with Tony yet, but it didn’t matter when things were this messed up. Clint rubbed Tony’s shoulder in a form of comfort and when Tony didn’t flinch away asked if he wanted anything to drink or eat, at a mumble cheeseburger, Clint nodded. _Maybe a drive will help me think._ “Nat, come on we’ll get food. Anyone want anything?”

Everyone gave their orders and watched the agents leave.

Rhodey had at this point move over to Tony’s other side. Hearing all of it, he didn’t like the conclusion he came up with. “No therapist, not until we can find one that won’t blab about this. But until then, same rules apply. I expect you to talk to me Tones, okay?”

Tony as a response just nodded. He was still curled up, with his feet on the sofa, Peter on his chest as he leaned into his Nonna. Becca was completely accommodating and rested her head on his, rubbing circles into his back. “ _Do you want to talk, angel?_ ” She asked softly in Italian, knowing it was his language of choice when upset.

“Nonno, _they killed_ Nonno, Nonna. _I don’t, I knew Carter. I called her Aunt, and visit her in the home now that she’s got Alzheimer’s. Did they use me to get close to Nonno? Is that why I was born? Is, am I the one that killed him?_ ”

Rhodey was horrified, so was Pepper and Happy, they never even thought of that possibility. Becca however just sighed. “ _We thought about that when Maria called asking if we wanted to meet our grandson. It was why they weren’t there during any of your visits as a kid. Couldn’t risk it, Eddy didn’t actually want to meet you at first, but I convinced him.” Becca chuckled, “Bella made him think he was a bad husband and father. Maria put the final nail in when she called him Eduardo and Bella’s Sugar daddy_ Papa. _Even after years of trying to convince him otherwise he still believed it. It’s why we never had kids.”_ Becca sighed rubbing circles on Tony’s shoulder. “ _When we first met you, you flinched away from him and he thought he made a mistake, but then Edwin told us how they treated you and he went on a man-hunt for them. He hacked cameras and infiltrated organisations for some dirt on them but no dice. He put a micro camera on you a few times, but it was deactivated as soon as you were on the estate due to some tech Howard made. He was trying to figure it out when he was killed._ ” Kissing the top of his head, “ _He loved you through and through, despite knowing Howard was using you. Edwin too, for that matter._ ”

“ _Jarvis told you?_ ” Tony’s head came up to look Becca in the eyes “ _I thought…_ ”

“ _That he never told anyone? Please, he was the reason we met you so early and why you went to boarding school in Italy near us, why you only had to be around Howard and Maria as little as possible. Maria just didn’t care about you and Howard was only using you as an heir to his company until he got the serum. I have no doubt that if he was alive today, you would be disowned. Neither would have batted an eye._ ” Becca smiled sadly “ _He hurt you once so badly Edwin couldn’t stand by and watch, he thought you were dead. That was when he convinced Howard and Maria to get in contact with us.”_

Rhodey wrapped an arm around his friend before asking if they should leave when both told him no he asked, “ _Why not just kill both of you? Why bother waiting to kill his grandfather and why not kill you too?_ ”

Becca gave a bitter laugh. “ _Howard couldn’t kill Captain America’s best friend’s sister now could he? And as for waiting they knew it was the last ingredient needed for the serum and that Eduardo would keep it safe until they needed it. They only knew he was still alive when Maria married Howard and saw the connection in the last name and looked into it when we never went to the wedding_.” Becca sneered. “ _Even after she left she still managed to find a way to hurt_ _him. I hated her more than Howard. I think it didn’t help that we never put our old people make-up on for our passport photos. We never thought It would be an issue until we reached 80. We played it off as good genetics and dyed our hair grey to blend in._ ”

“ _If I could go back in time Tony, I would shove my highest stilettos up Howard’s ass and then stick them into Maria’s eyes and hope she’d get pink eye._ ” Pepper stated easily in Italian earning a sad chuckle from those in the room that understood. Ben and May sat bewildered and made a note to learn the language and poke Happy for answers after.

“So what I’m getting is that Tony has a healing factor then yes?” May asked, which Becca answered with a nod. “Well that explains why you’re not dead. I’ll look at your D.N.A. and see what matches with Peter’s. Then we will be able to pinpoint what genes where altered. And what was just his natural biology. I never saw anything that indicated you could turn into a firebird, but I’ll look again, though there was an abnormality with the eyes. I’ll look into that too when I have time.” May got up. “And I’ll need some of your blood and saliva Mrs Carbonell. Need to know what exactly the herb’s done to you so that I’m not caught with my pants down if you are ever hurt badly enough to need severe medical attention.”

“Only if you promise not to use it to make a serum.”

May crossed her fingers over her heart. “I think we’ve had enough serums made, I prefer the natural version. Ben, Happy, Rhodey help me with the boxes that Tony left in the elevator, we’ll shove them in you’re bedroom. Pepper tell me when the food gets here, I’m starving.”

The four left. Leaving Pepper, Tony, Becca and Peter behind.

“I heard something of a restraining order from JARVIS. I’ll go down and have legal sort that.” Pepper got up. “Won’t be long but should give you two enough time to catch up in peace.”

Becca stopped Pepper on her way out. “Can you do me a favour?” Pepper nodded. “There were two employees, a Pam from security and a Margret from the front desk. Can you, I don’t know, give them a bonus or something? They handled a potential stalker very well. If it wasn’t me they were keeping out I’d have been happy with their work.”

Pepper smiled. “I’ll see what I can do.” Then left leaving Tony, Becca and Peter alone.

Tony rubbed Peter’s back as he slept. “So I’m not human? I’ll out live everyone I know?” Tony was scared. He didn’t want to be alone. He’d have Peter and Nonna from the sounds of it but he’d miss Rhodey, Happy and Pepper.

“Come on, feet up, foot rub time.” Becca patted her lap and Tony complied with a smile remembering the last time they did this as he put his feet in her lap and lay Peter on his chest, who was sleeping like a log. Becca started massaging his feet. “You know that if you get the herb from Richard you can offer it to them, right? That was why the herb was given to the Carbonell’s in the first place, remember the story? What you didn’t know before was that it was your Bisnonno that was gifted it by that King from Africa. The King was told by his ancestors that a herb grew deep in the forest, in the purest part of his land and that he wasn’t to go there. His ancestors told him that he would adopt a white child and they would retrieve the herb when it was ready for them as a gift from the land, with instructions that the King was not to take the herb if he wanted to stay the King of his land. The king was outraged at what his ancestors told him and said he would never adopt a white child, due to the bad blood he had between how foreigners treated his people. The king even sent search parties out to find the herb and destroy it so that no one would ever get the herb as his ancestors told him of the herb’s properties. He never wanted the herb in anyone’s hands.”

Becca got a tight knot out of his right foot before continuing. “Anyway, years past and the King had a family of his own and he never found the herb but still sent out search parties. His wife had recently died when her home tribe asked for aid. The King went to help a neighbouring tribe by the coast, and who should he find there but Antonio Carbonell. Your Bisnonno was stranded there after his ship was attacked and he lost his family. He was apparently only 8 years old and worked from morning till late at night doing odd jobs to survive. The King upon seeing your Bisnonno was angry. How dare this tribe go against the one thing he asked of them. Do not help the white people. It was all he asked. When he consulted the Chief of the tribe, the Chief sighed and said, “We didn’t want to but the little one washed up here and what were we to do? He lost everything all at once and it would be cruel to not at least let him grow up enough to leave on his own.” The King understood at least though was still angry and made it his mission to make the boy as miserable as possible while he gave aid to the tribe.

“The King made Antonio wash his clothes that he dragged through mud; made him clean his armour until the parts that were made of metal shined only to tell him it was not good enough and that he had to do it again and even once told your Bisnonno he was to eat out of a dog-bowl if he wanted to eat at all. And when your Bisnonno did so, laughed hard enough to make the birds fly high in the sky.”

“Even after all these years, the story is still unsettling, Nonna. How could the boy, sorry Bisnonno, forgive the King and become his son? He was racist towards him and treated him so badly.” Tony asked stroking Peter’s head as he slept.

“Different times. Remember I just told you that your Bisnonno was in his 400’s nearly 70 years ago. Back when this took place people treated each other differently and white people were capturing Africans and selling them as slaves. The King being angry towards a race of people that mistreating those like him was somewhat fitting even if he was in the wrong treating an innocent child the way he did or anyone for that matter just because of the colour of their skin. And remember the King changed when he saw the errors of his ways. Now will you let me finish my story or will you never let me get to my point?” She pinched his foot. “Back to the story, the King tried to make little Antonio as miserable as he could, and no one stopped him. He was powerful. And the tribe needed The King’s help so Antonio took the mistreatment every day to repay the tribe that looked after him and fed him. He thought it was the least he could do.

“But then it wasn’t just the King that mistreated him. Slowly, more people treated him the same way the King did. It started with the king’s guard’s, then it spread to the kids, then the adults in the tribe, but still Antonio dealt with it. Taking the mistreatment like it was nothing. The King from his perspective saw this as a good thing. The white boy knew his place and it would make him leave as soon as he was old enough and able too.

“But then tragedy struck. A group of white men came and attacked the tribe and were lucky enough to overpower the guards. The attackers got The King to his knees and were going to kill him then take the tribe to be sold as slaves. Little Antonio saw this and came out and and jumped in front of The King, taking the sword that was meant for him. Yes an actual sword no one could have survived unless you happen to have magical healing powers like you do. The King was shocked that the boy he treated so badly would save his life, and so were the attackers which gave the King enough time to beat them and get Antonio to safety. When The King asked Antonio why he saved his live he said-“

““I am just a child with no one left at my side. You are a king with your people at your back. You can save far more than I ever could.”” Tony said in a child-like voice smiling.

Becca grinned, “This is my retelling you know. You’re supposed to sit and listen, not interrupt me.” She finished his foot rub settled his feet over her lap. “The King at the boy’s words felt deep shame. He had treated the kind boy with nothing but cruelty yet he still saved his life. He thought of his actions and realised that he had treated the boy just like the white people did the people of the surrounding land and saw there was no difference between how the two races behaved towards each other. He waited by Antonio’s bed as he healed from his wounds and thought of what his ancestors told him. The King then sent word back to his land to stop all searches for the herb and to inform his child they would have a new little brother if the boy accepted his offer of a home.

“When Antonio woke up, the people apologised but no one more than the King. He doted on Antonio after that, taking personal care of him and got to know the boy that he had treated so poorly. The King fell completely in love with Antonio and his worry grew that boy wouldn’t accept his offer of a family. Antonio, on his part, grew shy around the King finding that he wanted to stay by the King now that they actually got to know one another. When it was time for the King to leave, he looked for Antonio to ask if he wanted to come with him and found the boy crying. When the King asked why he was so upset the boy say that his mother told him once he would lose everyone he loved due to old age because he would outlive the sun and constellations in the sky. He never believed them until he washed up on the shores of the tribe and saved the king. Antonio was scared that he would be alone forever now that his mother was gone. The King hugged Antonio close and told him of the herb that his ancestors told him about and what they said to him. He asked Antonio if he wanted to join his family and promised that he would take the herb and give up his land to his only child from his dead wife. The King told the boy he would not have to be alone as he would at least have the King by his side for as long as he wanted him. Antonio accepted and went back to the King’s land and the king kept his word giving up his title and the two looked for the herb for the Ex-king and Antonio found it within a day. There they found a herb that looked similar to the royal one of the kings home expect blue in colour instead of purple and the pair called it Healing Heart in honor of the bond they found. And your Bisnonno and the ex-king lived happily until World War 1 and the ex-king was killed.”

“And you end on a sad note.” Tony said sitting up. “So what was your point?”

“Sad note or not, the ending is important. No one lives forever Tony. Your Nonno proved that to me. And even if you theoretically will live longer than most, those that care will take the sacrifice and stay with you as long as they can throughout your long life. People think well i suppose you can call it near immortality is a blessing, but you see the world pass by and good friends constantly die if they don’t want to stick around. I’m not even a hundred and I can see it. The ex-king had to watch as his blood child and grandchildren died so that Antonio had at least one constant presence in his life so that he never lost all his loved ones to time. The king's child saw mortality as the blessing it is and never wanted the herb even after just like my mother. And your Bisnonno felt as much guilt for making the ex-king share his pain as he was grateful that he had his father to share it with him.”

“So…”

“Just like I took the herb to keep your Nonno company and Bucky when or if we find him, if you offer it to those that love you they might take it and stick around.” Becca said.

Tony took what she said and filed it way leaning in for a hug. “ ** _Love you_** , Nonna.”

“ ** _Love you too_** , Antonio.”


End file.
